Apparently, the getaway wasn’t nearly as clean as the entry. 

Kevin Coleman, a 45-year-old transient from Manteca, was arrested early Tuesday morning after Manteca Police responded to a call of a suspicious person near the back door of the Sprint store on Hulsey Way shortly after 4 a.m. and arrived to discover him on the other side of the locked glass doors. 

When Coleman saw officers, he retreated into a back room inside of the business and disappeared – only to reappear seconds later when he crashed through the suspended ceiling and dropped onto the floor of the showroom. Trapped, Coleman complied with orders and was taken into custody without further incident. 

Coleman was transported to the San Joaquin County Jail where he is being held on $175,000 bail for felony charges of burglary and vandalism. He is scheduled to appear in Department 1 of the Manteca branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court on Thursday, March 21 at 1:25 p.m. 

Commenters on the City of Manteca’s Facebook page pointed out an account on the social media site that appears to belong to Coleman advertising brand new cell phones and accessories that are still in their original packaging, as well as what appeared to be used cell phones and an Apple watch. No additional charges related to possession or receiving stolen property were listed on the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s website as of Tuesday night, and it does not appear that Coleman was held on any outstanding warrants. 

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.